The small town of Trinidad holds an official designation as the oldest town on the Northern California coast. Founded in 1850, the coastal settlement served as a vital link during the California Gold Rush, and you can still find an array of historic landmarks there from this era.
With only 300 residents and its rugged coastal location, Trinidad is still an often-overlooked destination in NorCal. But it’s also a great place to access nearly a dozen public beaches and connect with an interesting era of California history.
Keep reading for some tips about how to make the most of it.
History of Trinidad
The Indigenous Tsurai (Yurok) people originally inhabited the region of Trinidad over 350 years ago. They had a small village of 10 to 12 houses where they held ceremonial events and maintained burial grounds. Spanish expeditions arrived in 1775, claiming the port for Spain before Russian and other seafaring fur traders settled there in the early 1800s.
In 1849, Gold Rush fortune seeker Josiah Gregg arrived in Trinidad, beginning the settlement’s transformation into a boomtown. Miners used the area as a critical supply port for the region, and the city was officially founded on April 8, 1850, making it the oldest town on the coast of Northern California. However, its significance faded as nearby Eureka and other port cities grew.
The white settlers claimed the site of the Tsurai village early on, but it continued to be inhabited by Yurok descendants until 1916. This makes it one of the oldest continually inhabited Native villages on the Redwood Coast. Although their continuous residence there came to an end due to factors like contamination and cultural disruption, the Tsurai people still work to honor and protect their ancestral land, which is now a California Historical Landmark.
Things to do in Trinidad
The coastline of Trinidad has ten rugged public beaches that are part of the protected California Coastal National Monument. They make for great tide pooling and hiking destinations in one of the most untamed parts of the California coast. Some notable ones include Trinidad State Beach, College Cove, and Moonstone Beach.
Sue-meg State Park is another worthwhile destination just north of Trinidad, known for its ancient redwood forests and reconstructed Native American villages. You could enjoy a spot of whale watching from vantage points at the park, or otherwise head to Trinidad Head, a scenic coastal headland with a historic lighthouse.
The tiny town of Trinidad is perched on the bluffs overlooking the bay, retaining a small and tight-knit community atmosphere. You can stroll along the oceanfront pier or browse art galleries and small shops in the compact downtown. If you’re interested in learning more about Trinidad’s history, consider a visit to the Trinidad Museum or visit the stone marker and plaque honoring the original Tsurai village.
It takes nearly six hours to reach Trinidad by car from San Francisco. You could consider stopping by on a trip up to Oregon, exploring Redwood National and State Parks, seeing the exquisitely-preserved architecture in Eureka, or making any other number of stops to help make the most of your trip up the NorCal coast.